Displaced families fear the looming resettlement deadline

Thousands of people displaced by ethnic clashes in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur two years ago now face an uncertain future as the government plans to close all temporary relief camps by December.

The violence that erupted in May 2023 between the majority Meitei and indigenous Kuki communities was the worst the region had witnessed in decades.

It began after protests by the predominantly Christian Kuki community against the predominantly Hindu Meiteis, who demanded formal tribal status that would give them access to the same government benefits and work quotas as other tribes, including the Kukis.

At least 260 people were killed in the clashes and some 60,000 displaced people have since been living in temporary shelters.

Over the past two years, the government has made repeated promises to resettle the displaced, but little has changed on the ground. Many say their lives remain at a standstill – effectively homeless and without a steady source of income.

Concerns rose further in July when the then state chief secretary Prashant Singh announced that all relief camps would be closed by December and their residents resettled.

He added that those who cannot return to their homes will be relocated to prefabricated housing.

However, the government did not make clear where these units would be – whether near the relief camps or near the displaced people’s original homes – exacerbating their fears about the future.

Uncertainty grew in September when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his first visit to Manipur since the violence began, announced that 7,000 new homes would be built to resettle the displaced in “suitable locations”, without giving further details.

On the ground, Manipur remains sharply divided: the Meiteis inhabit the Imphal Valley, while the Kukis live in the surrounding hilly regions; and security forces continue to patrol the buffer zones that separate the two communities.

A security official stationed in the area told BBC Hindi that his mandate was “to ensure that Meiteis and Kukis stay in their respective areas and do not mix”.

Experts say resettling people in their original neighborhoods is crucial to prevent violence from redrawing Manipur’s social map.

“This is not good for a secular, democratic India. Displacing them in their original homes is most critical,” said RK Nimai Singh, former secretary to the Governor of Manipur.

He added that many displaced people fear that if they leave the relief camps and move into temporary housing, they may never be able to return to their homes.

This is a thought that haunts Hatnu Haokip. For her, home means only one place – the Imphal Valley – and she longs to return.

“But that cannot happen because now our village is surrounded by Meitei people,” said the 22-year-old, who now lives in a relief camp in the hilly Churachandpur region

Ms. Haokip added that she would feel safer if Kuki leaders were given the autonomy to create a a separate federally administered territory for the community.

This sentiment was echoed by several other Kukis who also fear returning to their homes.

On the other hand, most Meiteis that BBC Hindi spoke to said they wanted to return home.

Irom Abung, who once ran a water supply business in Churachandpur, now lives in a relief camp near a buffer zone.

His house was damaged during the violence, but Mr Abung says he will never give up the place he once called home.

“My land remains. I will never sell it because I know I will come back one day,” he said. “Efforts must be made to bridge the gap between our two communities so that people can get back to their lives.”

The anxiety, combined with uncertainty about where the new homes will be built, has raised doubts about whether the government will be able to close all aid camps by December.

Government officials, however, insist the resettlement plan is going according to plan.

“From about 290 camps initially, we have reduced the number to about 260,” said a senior Manipur government official.

“Ultimately, we want to resettle people in the areas they fled from, once they feel safe to return.”

The official added that while they understand people’s concerns, it is also in the state’s interest that they return home – otherwise the divide will only deepen.

As tens of thousands of people continue to live in relief camps, many complain that they are not receiving the facilities promised by the government.

Nemhoichong Lhungdim, a single mother, said her 11-year-old son suffered a debilitating eye injury several months ago and lost the sight in one eye.

After government doctors failed to help, she borrowed money to take him to a private hospital, but could not afford the treatment.

“I was told it would cost about 300,000 rupees ($3,400; £2,600). I don’t have that much money,” she said.

Ms. Lhungdim says the government sometimes organizes health camps, but they have never treated her son. BBC Hindi has reached out to officials for a response.

Inside the camps, residents say prolonged displacement and insecurity are also taking a toll on people’s mental health.

Salam Monika, 25, says her uncle took his own life last year after being driven to despair by the lack of livelihood options. She says the family had no access to medical care.

“Some mental health professionals have visited our camp several times since 2023, but this year they have not come at all,” she said.

BBC Hindi has approached the government for comment.

Meanwhile, those moved from camps to temporary housing say that although they now have a roof over their heads, they are still struggling to make ends meet as sustenance remains a problem.

Chingakham Radha, one of the newly resettled residents, said she learned to crochet dolls while living in the camp and now earns a small income by selling them. “There is very little money to get by,” she said.

Before the conflict, Mrs. Rada was a housewife and her husband worked as a laborer. They were not rich, but they had a happy life.

Thinking back to those days, Ms. Radha says life has become uncertain now.

“Some days my husband finds work, but other times weeks go by without any work,” she said. “I want to go back home to Churachandpur, but those hopes are fading with time.”

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